1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of golf, and more particularly to the art of golf club swinging and instructional aids and methods for improving a golfer's golf club swing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been known to provide various implements to assist golfers in improving their play. Some of such implements are designed to be used while the golfer actually plays, while other implements are designed to be used during practice sessions to assist or to help the golfer learn to play the game. It is believed that the movements of the golfer are instrumental to the end result of the movement of the golf ball. Of the various movements of the golfer during play, the gold club swing is thought to be very important. Consequently, many implements have been designed to assist a golfer in his swing. Some of such implements can be used during actual play. Other implements are practical only in practice or learning sessions prior to play.
Essentially, the game of golf is the art of propelling a golf ball, one of the smallest balls in the field of sports, a relatively long distance, oftentimes being hundreds of yards, into a hole only slightly larger than the ball itself. The propulsion is accomplished by swinging a selection of golf clubs having a head at one end with which to strike the ball. To a certain extent, the club is an extension of the arms of the golfer, allowing the golfer to stand relatively erect while striking the ball which is normally on the ground.
While there is limited selection of golf clubs from which a golfer may choose, the sizes and shapes of golfers is as unlimited as the human species itself. Many golf aids have been devised to help a golfer play or learn during putting, that is to say, during the play that is close or proximal to the hole, such as, for examples, U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,284 to Yoshimura and U.S. Pat. Application No. 2008/002665 of Kelley. Because of the varying sizes and shapes of golfers, many of such devices provide for various articulated adjustments in order for the device to accommodate the particular golfer's unique shape, as shown, for one example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,284, cited above.
Other golf swing aids are designed to assist a golfer to improve his ability to hit the ball greater distances. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,199 to Wyatt, Jr., et al. Again, as seen in that reference, the devices generally are elaborate and provide for articulation. Of necessity, many of such devices require such articulation in order that the device may accommodate the unique shape and/or size of the golfer. Moreover, as seen in that reference, many of the golf swing aids provide intricate designs for not only controlling the arms of the golfer, but also for controlling the legs, as well. Many of such prior art devices are designed to rigidly control the position of the arms to the body, and to control the position of the arms to the legs, and the legs to each other.
While many of such devices known in the art will provide benefit to a golfer learning or adjusting his or her strokes during practice sessions, such devices generally would be awkward if one attempted to use them on the golf course itself during actual play.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf swing formation aid that does not require adjustment of articulated parts in order to accommodate the golfer in the aid. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf swing formation or instructional aid that will accommodate a wide range of golfers' sizes and shapes. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a golf swing practice aid that can be donned easily and quickly, yet used repeatedly. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a golf swing instructional and formation aid that can be used not only during off-play practice sessions, but may be used during play on the golf course without unnecessarily impeding the play or wasting the time of other players on the golf course.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a golf swing instructional or formation aid that assists a golfer in spacing his arms during and throughout the full swing of a golf club. Even a further object of the present invention is to provide a golf swing aid that is not so rigid as to impede the natural varying positions of the arms relative to each other during a full or even a limited golf club swing.